Machine



3 Sheets- Sheet '1. M. E. WENDELL 8u T. S. WILES. DAMPENING MACHINE.

Patented Apr'. 23 1889..

Inv@ nto:

N. PETERS, Fhoblifhagnphnr. Washingtcn. I)A C` W iinesses:

(No Model.)

(No Modem 3 sheets-sheet 2.

lVI. E. WENDELL 8v T. S. WILES.

. DAMPBNING MACHINE. No. 401,770. PaterntedApr. 23, 1889.

(No Model.; s sheetssheet 3.

M. E. WENDELL 8v T. S. WILES.

DAMPEN-ING MACHINE.

No. 401,770. Patented Apr. 23, 1889..

4Nita Starts ATRNT GFFICR.

MENZO EDGAR wENDRLL, OF TROY, AND THOMAS sHIREs wILEs, OF

ALBANY, New YORK. u.

DAMPENlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,770, dated April 23, 1889.

Application filed November 17, 1883. Serial No. 112,079. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MENZO EDGAR IVEN DELL, of Troy, Rensselaer county, State of New York, and THOMAS SHIREs WILES, of Albany, Albany county, State of New York, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Dampening-Machines, of which the following to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an end elevation of a dampening-machine constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the gearing' employed. Fig. 3 is a plan. Fig. 4. is a perspective of the watertroughs and one of the supply-rollers. Fig. 5 is a section on the line X2 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 a section on the line X3 of Fig. el.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The object of our invention is to provide a machine suitable for dampening collars and cuffs during theproccss of laundering the same. One of the requisites of the problem is to secure the uniform application of a limited quantity of water; another, to provide for the passage through the machine of articles having seams, buttons, or otherl protrusions, and yet to insure a uniformity in the dampening process, especially at and adjacent to said protrusions. lt is also requisite that the successful machine should be capable of dampening large quantities of goods in a given time. lVith these objects inview we have constructed a machine whereby they are attained; and our invention consists in the novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

F, F2, and F3 represent one form of a suit able frame-work fo r supporting the operating parts of the machine, and F F represent a cover or table which may be employed in connection with the operative parts for the protection of the operator and support of goods to be Operated upon, and which may be slotted, as shown at F", for the passage of goods from the table into the machine.

The framework is provided with horizon tally-sliding bearings J adj usted by bolts T T2, and in said bearings are mounted the shafts S U2 of the dampening-rollers R R2 of the machine. Said fram e-work is also provided with inclined recesses for the reception of sliding bearings J4 J 5 for the shafts S3 S4 of the supply-rollcrs WV WW, these latter bearings being adjusted by the bolts T3 T4.

D represents a water-trough provided with su pply-pipe, I, and a discharge-pipe, O, conis a specification, reference being' had therein nected with the trough by a nipple, n, which may be adjusted to project a desired distance upwardly in the trough-connecting passages D2, so as to determine the depth of the water in the troughs D, in which the water-supply rollers W W2 revolve.

The dampening-rollers R R2 are arranged over and in contact with the supply-rollers W W2, and also in contact with each other in a vertical plane passing between said supply-rollers, whereby goods after being dampened fall unassisted into any suitable receptacle under the dampening-rollers. Each of the dampening-rollers consists in this instance of a shaft, a core of wood, an elastic or yielding non-absorbing bed or body, li', mounted on the wood, and an outer covering of thin textile fabric. The body of the roller itself may be described as being essentially of any non-absorbing elastic substance. In this instance rubber is employed, and the purpose of the wooden core is simply to economize in the quantity of rubber necessary in a roller of a desired diameter. The purpose of the thin textile covering is that the water taken up by the rollers R R2 shall be limited in quantity, as in dampening starched goods a uniform and more or less slight moisture only is required. If woolen, felt, cotton, or other fabric of too great thickness were employed as a cover, b2, of the non-absorbing portion b of the roller, a sufficient quantity of water would be absorbed (or taken up from the supplyroller and conducted to the article being dampened) to more or less effectually wash out, dissolve, or remove the starch therefrom, so that when iron-ed a defective finish would be the result.

By arranging two dampening-rollers of they character described to run in contact with each other the elasticity thereof acts during the passage of seams or other protrusions in that each roller conforms to the irregularity IOO of the surface of the article coming in contact therewith. In other words, both surfaces are uniformly moistened, and an excess of protrusions upon one surface of an article is coinpensated vfor by the elasticity of the roller in contact with its opposite surface. Separating the water-supply rollers and arranging the line of contact of the dampening-rollers between the supply-rollers also provides an unobstructed passage for the dampened goods through the machine and into any suitable receptacle placed below the dampening-rollers to receive the goods.

The driving-belt B, mounted on the pulley P, secured to the shaft S', serves to operate the rollers through the medium of gears G' G2 G3 G4, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Itis apparent that any well-known equivalents for the gearing may be employed.

We do not broadly claim a roller having a rubber body or periphery and a woolen or other fabric cover as of our invention; but

Vhat we claim isl. In a dampening-machine for laundry purposes, a pair of rollers each having a nonabsorbent elastic body or periphery covered by a thin textile fabric and arranged to run in contact with each other, in combination with separated water-supply rollers, substantially as speciiied.

2. The combination of the rollers R R2,

each having the rubber body or periphery b' and thin textile covering b2, and arranged to run in contact with each other, the separated water-supply rollers W' V2, the troughs D', connecting-troughs D2, supply-pipe I, overflow-nipple n, and discharge-pipe o, substantially as speciiied.

3. The combination, with the rollers R' R2, arranged to run in contact with each other, having the non-absorbent elastic bodies or peripheries b' and thin textile covering b2, of the adjustable bearings J', the water-supply rollers WV W2, the adjustable bearings J5 J 4, and the troughs D Dsubstantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the two dampening-rollers R R2, each having a rubber body or periphery, b', and thin textile covering b2, running in contact with each other, of the supply-rollers W' W2, each running in contact with one of the rollers R R2, and a suitable frame-work, substantially as specified.

Signed at the city of Troy, New York, this 13th day ot November, 1883, in the presence of the two witnesses whose names were by them below written.

MENZO EDGAR WENDELL. THOMAS SHIRES VILES. Witnesses:

CHA-s. F. WILEs, CHARLES S. BRINTNALL. 

